Bigger plates make you eat more! (1) part of the reason behind this is the illusion that we have less food on a plate with lots of white space around it – known as the Delboeuf Illusion. This is not an issue for most foods (2), but for certain rewarding foods it can be a problem. If you think you are eating less food, you tend to gey more!
The more contrast there is between the food and the plate, the more severe the illusion. You can counteract this by getting smaller plates or spreading out your food to the edges of your plate.
Sources:
1. Van Ittersum K, Wansink B. Plate Size and Color Suggestibility: The Delboeuf Illusion’s Bias on Serving and Eating Behavior.
2. Robinson E, Nolan S, Tudur-Smith C, Boyland EJ, Harrold JA, Hardman CA, et al. Will smaller plates lead to smaller waists? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect that experimental manipulation of dishware size has on energy consumption.
